Save the date: Solar Power International 2013 Oct. 21-24 in ChicagoSEIAMark your calendar for Oct. 21-24 at McCormick Place in Chicago. Solar Power International is North America's premier business-to-business event for professionals from more than 100 countries and more than 900 exhibiting companies from solar energy and related fields. Contact Shane Poblete about sponsor and exhibitor opportunities. Learn more about discounts for SEIA members here.

Shell sees solar as biggest energy source after exiting itBloombergRoyal Dutch Shell Plc says solar power, a business it abandoned four years ago, may expand into the world's biggest source of energy in the next half century. The proposition that photovoltaic panels will be the main power source by 2070 is one of the "New Lens Scenarios" Europe's largest oil company published in a report on energy demand this century.

Solar industry backs US Energy Secretary nominationPV TechThe U.S. solar industry has welcomed the nomination of physicist Ernest Moniz as the country's new Energy Secretary. President Barack Obama named Moniz as his nomination to lead the Department of Energy, replacing the outgoing Energy Secretary Steven Chu. Moniz, a physicist, currently directs the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Energy Initiative and was a former energy undersecretary in the Clinton administration.

BP bows out of solar, but industry outlook still sunnyNPR
The solar energy business is growing quickly, but future growth will not include oil giant BP. At the IHS CERAWeek energy conference in Houston, BP's CEO made it clear the company is done with solar. BP, which announced it was winding down its solar business last year, says it is still committed to other renewable resources, such as wind power and biofuels production. But the move away from solar is especially striking considering BP's recent history.

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SolarCity CEO talks the future of solar powerCNNMoneyA native of South Africa and serial entrepreneur, Lyndon Rive founded SolarCity with his brother Peter, who is chief technology officer and head of operations. Rive discusses what makes SolarCity different, the future of solar power, and the company's success so far on Wall Street.

Ohio area Wal-Marts go solarDayton Daily NewsWal-Mart has revealed a major project that it has quietly pursued throughout 2012 — the installation of solar power arrays atop a dozen Ohio stores, including nine in the Dayton-Cincinnati area. The installations occurred without any bother — or notice — among customers, said Stan Miller, Franklin, Ohio, Wal-Mart Supercenter manager.

Falling costs could mean a bright future for solar panelsSeattle Daily Journal of CommerceThe Bullitt Center is a net-zero energy facility in Seattle that uses a 244-kilowatt rooftop photovoltaic system to generate as much electricity as the building and its tenants will use each year. While admirable, few building owners are able to achieve the net-zero threshold. Most renewable-energy system owners or investors make their contributions with a supplemental offset sized within a budget or availability of roof area. Solar photovoltaics are considered a longer-term corporate investment, but when avoided costs and incentives are analyzed, going solar — even in Western Washington — is a very sound economic decision.

Goodbye to solar intermittency concernsFierceEnergyThe intermittent nature of solar energy may be less of a concern to utilities with the creation of a new and more accurate forecasting method. The National Center for Atmospheric Research is spearheading a three-year project to create unprecedented, 36-hour solar forecasts for solar power plants. The system will forecast sunlight and resulting power every 15 minutes over specific solar facilities, enabling utilities to continuously anticipate the availability of solar energy.

EXPERIENCE TOMORROW'S PHOTOVOLTAICS TODAY Our goal is to surpass the requirements of international certification organizations and to anticipate tomorrow's technical standards. That is our guarantee of a bankable and profitable investment, for the long term.MORE

A Company on a Mission SolarBridge Technologies makes solar energy easier, more reliable and more affordable by powering roof-ready AC modules with integrated microinverter technology. Learn more!

Colorado utility company taps into more solar powerColorado Springs IndependentColorado Springs Utilities will expand its solar gardening program by adding 10 megawatts eligible for rebates in the next three years, a major increase from the two megawatts developed under a pilot program that ended in 2012. Solar gardens allow residents to invest in solar power without having panels attached to their homes, which is useful especially for those who rent and those whose rooftops are not conducive to panel installation.

An attempt to fly around the world in a solar-powered planeThe EconomistA revolutionary, solar-powered aircraft touched down recently at Moffett Airfield, in the heart of Silicon Valley. No champagne corks were popped, however, for it arrived disassembled in the belly of a 747 cargo jet. The aircraft will be reassembled by the end of March and then begin flight tests. If all goes well by May, it should be ready to fly across America, stopping in four cities before landing in New York. However, this aircraft is just an experimental prototype for a much bigger exploit.

Silicon Valley shifting to power grid after solar soursBloombergSilicon Valley investors that helped build the solar industry are shifting cash into electricity-grid technology and energy-storage developers after bets on panel manufacturers failed to pay off. Companies including VantagePoint Capital Partners and Khosla Ventures are stepping up funding for systems to manage electricity, which are typically less capital intensive than solar-panel factories.

Beam me down, Scotty: Space-based solar power finally comes of ageExtremeTechSolar power has the potential to solve all energy problems. The amount of solar energy that reaches the surface of the Earth, per year, is somewhere in the region of 8,000 times higher than our current power requirements. One intriguing option is space-based solar power, which would place a solar farm in geosynchronous orbit and beam electricity back to Earth using microwave-based or laser-based wireless power transmission.

Solar Power International Oct. 21-24 in ChicagoSEIAMark your calendar for Oct. 21-24 at McCormick Place in Chicago. Solar Power International is North America's premier business-to-business event for professionals from more than 100 countries and more than 900 exhibiting companies from solar energy and related fields. Contact Shane Poblete about sponsor and exhibitor opportunities. Learn more about discounts for SEIA members here.

Sunpower providing solar energy for NFL stadiumClean TechnicaEven though the 2013 National Football League season is months away, one team is driving the ball down the field in helping to boost the changing image of spectator sports as a champion in environmental sustainability. Sunpower is helping recent the San Francisco 49ers by providing a solar panel system for their new stadium.

SEIA calls on Massachusetts to increase solar carve-outSEIAThe Patrick Administration has announced a process to further accelerate solar energy deployment in Massachusetts. This news comes as Massachusetts is within a year to 18 months of reaching the 400 megawatts target of the existing solar carve-out. Establishing a more aggressive solar carve-out program would bring Massachusetts up to the level of other states in the northeast that are supporting local solar industries. New Jersey has a four-gigawatt goal for solar energy deployment, while Maryland has a 1.3 GW goal.

How crowdfunding lowers the cost of solar energyGreenBizFrom GreenBiz to Forbes to Fortune, Bloomberg to The Wall Street Journal, a young company named Mosaic has been getting a lot of attention of late. Mosaic is bringing crowdsourced funding to the world of solar photovoltaic. Crowdfunding is nothing new. Companies such as Kickstarter have allowed individuals to fund everything from their next indie film to extensive out-of-pocket medical bills with pooled donations from family, friends and other supporters.

West Virginia's 1st solar-powered farmers market lights upWest Virginia Public BroadcastingThe city of Morgantown, W.Va., will soon host the state's first solar-powered farmers market. The Mountain Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to education and sustainable development in mountain regions around the world, is donating a solar array to be constructed on the new Farmers Market Pavilion. The solar system is slated to be completed in March and will include an electric vehicle charging station.

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Solar panels rare amid the steeplesThe New York TimesMore than three decades ago, after an energy crisis that gripped the world, a Catholic priest in Lubbock, Texas, took a stand for the environment. His congregation needed a new church. So Rev. Joe James anchored the building deep in the earth to optimize insulation. He also ordered five wind turbines for the church grounds. The largest was called Big Bird, because it stood 80 feet tall.

Commentary: Chicken Little and the 'crisis' of grid reliabilityArno HarrisThe Wall Street Journal published an alarmist piece depicting California's electrical grid as the victim of a "looming crisis" brought on by the state's "growing reliance" on wind and solar. While the success of wind and solar certainly raises new issues in terms of how to plan and operate the future electrical grid, the article overstated the severity of the problem California currently faces.

Why net metering is crucial for solar energy in CaliforniaBuzzfeedFor so many Californians who have chosen to install a solar electric system, the phrase "net metering" is simply a way of describing the way power from roof-top solar panels will reduce their own electric consumption and spin the meter backwards. But net metering also allows owners of solar systems to receive credit for clean power provided to the utility company when their own energy needs are being exceeded during the day. The result: Electricity generated by your solar panels is purchased by the utility company at the same price that it is sold to the customer.